There are conventional controllers capable of accommodating an information processing device therein. For example, there is a controller capable of accommodating a mobile telephone, with a left key plate and a right key plate sandwiching the mobile telephone therebetween. The controller includes button keys on the upper surface.
With such a controller, it is preferred that buttons are arranged efficiently.
Thus, the present application discloses a controller on which input sections can be arranged efficiently.
An example game controller described herein is removably attachable to a main unit having a main unit-side slide member and configured to execute a game process, the game controller having a front surface and at least first and second side surfaces relative to the front surface.
The game controller includes a directional input control, a first operation button, a second operation button and a controller-side slide member. The directional input control is on the front surface. The first operation button is on the front surface. The second operation button is on the first side surface. The controller-side slide member protrudes from the second side surface and is configured for slidably engaging with the main unit-side slide member in a slide direction. The controller-side slide member has a first end and a second end in the slide direction, and the game controller is configured to be attached to the main unit by inserting the controller-side slide member into the main unit-side slide member from the first end.
The game controller includes a stop member. The stop member is configured for resisting a slide movement, in an opposite direction, of the controller-side slide member against the main unit-side slide member, the opposite direction being a direction opposite to a direction in which the controller-side slide member is insertable into the main unit-side slide member, the stop member being closer to the second end than the first end in the slide direction. The stop member is configured to protrude from the second side surface or from a side surface of the controller-side slide member, which side surface is substantially perpendicular to the second side surface.
The controller-side slide member includes a protruding portion and at least one terminal. The protruding portion protrudes in the slide direction from the first end side of the controller-side slide member and having a facing surface that faces the second side surface of the game controller. The at least one terminal is between the facing surface and the second side surface, wherein the terminal is configured to be electrically connectable to the main unit.
The game controller includes a third operation button, a fourth operation button and a transmitter. The third operation button and the fourth operation button are on a surface of the controller-side slide member that faces substantially in the same direction as the second side surface. The transmitter is configured for transmitting, to the main unit via the terminal, information representing an operation performed on at least the directional input control, the first operation button and the second operation button.
The controller-side slide member may include, as surfaces facing substantially in the same direction as the second side surface, a lower surface and an upper surface, the distance from the lower surface to the second side surface being shorter than the distance from the upper surface to the second side surface. The third operation button and the fourth operation button may be on the lower surface.
The third operation button and the fourth operation button may be configured so as not to protrude past the upper surface.
The controller-side slide member may include a first lower surface on the first end side of a center of the controller-side slide member in the slide direction, and a second lower surface on the second end side of the center of the controller-side slide member in the slide direction. The third operation button may be on the first lower surface. The fourth operation button may be on the secondlower surface.
The game controller may comprise a light-emitter on the upper surface between the third operation button and the fourth operation button configured for notifying a user of information.
The controller-side slide member may define a sloped surface connecting the lower surface and the upper surface.
The terminal may be on the facing surface.
The terminal may be configured to flex into a slot in the facing surface.
The protruding portion may include a wall on the facing surface that protrudes from the facing surface, the wall being on one side or on both sides of the terminal with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to the slide direction.
A distal end of the terminal may be between a center of the controller-side slide member and a distal end of the protruding portion.
The protruding portion is tapered toward the distal end.
An end surface of the controller-side slide member at the second end may be a flat surface extending from the second side surface.
The stop member may be movable between a first position and a second position. The stop member in the first position may be more protruding from at least one of the second side surface of the game controller and the side surface of the controller-side slide member as compared with the stop member in the second position. The stop member may be biased toward a protruding state in the first position.
The game controller may comprise a movable member that is configured to be moved by an operation by a user. The stop member may be moved at least from the first position to the second position in response to the movable member being operated by a user.
The movable member may be on a surface on a reverse side of the front surface.
An example game controller described herein is removably attachable to a main unit having a main unit-side slide member and configured to execute a game process. The game controller includes a controller-side slide member. The controller-side slide member protrudes from a first surface of the game controller and is configured for slidably engaging with the main unit-side slide member in a slide direction. The controller-side slide member has first and second ends and includes, as surfaces facing substantially in the same direction as the first surface, a lower surface and an upper surface, a first distance between the lower surface and the first surface being less than a second distance between the upper surface and the first surface, the lower surface extending from the first end to the second end of the controller-side slide member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the slide direction. The game controller includes a first operation control on the lower surface.
The first operation control may be configured so as not to protrude past the upper surface.
The first operation control may extend away from the first surface by a distance greater than the first distance and less than or equal to the second distance.
The controller-side slide member may include a first lower surface on one end side of a center of the controller-side slide member in the slide direction, and a second lower surface on the other end side of the center of the controller-side slide member in the slide direction. The first operation control may include a first input section on the first lower surface, and a second input section on the second lower surface.
The game controller may further include a light-emitter configured for notifying a user of information. The light-emitter may be on the upper surface between the first input section and the second input section.
The controller-side slide member defines a sloped surface connecting the lower surface and the upper surface.
The game controller may be configured to be attached to the main unit by engaging the controller-side slide member with the main unit-side slide member. The game controller may include a light emitter configured for notifying a user of information, and a light emission controller. The light emitter may be provided on the upper surface. The light emission controller is configured for controlling the light emitter to emit light at least on a condition that the game controller is not attached to the main unit, and for controlling the light emitter not to emit light when the game controller is attached to the main unit.
The game controller may further include a second operation control on a surface of the game controller that is different from the first surface.
The second operation control may be on a front surface of the game controller. The first surface may be a side surface relative to the front surface.
The present specification also discloses an information processing device to which the game controller can be attached, and discloses a controller system (referred to also as an information processing system) including the game controller and the information processing device. The present specification also discloses a method to be carried out in the information processing system. The present specification also discloses an information processing program that causes a computer to execute some of the processes to be executed on the information processing system, the information processing device or the game controller (in other words, causes a computer to function as some of the various units of the information processing system, the information processing device or the game controller).
With the game controller set forth above, it is possible to efficiently arrange input controls on the controller.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.